Cross Country Skiing (Read 831 times)

I have bought a pair of cross country skiis to keep me motivated during the winter months. As a complete newbie to the sport I am looking for some pointers. Trying to figure out how to take on a hill and any other good info someone could share.

Thanks!!!!

Genipher

"Run when you can, walk when you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up." –-Dean Karnazes

"There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing" Dave Landgraf

It's great for your running, at the lattitude I went to college we barely ran in the winter but skiied 2-3 hrs/day.

"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand

I am spaniel - Crusher of Treadmills

aellopous

posted: 12/25/2009 at 4:22 AM

Good for you! I was hoping to do a lot of cross country skiing this year at the nearby state parks/metroparks, but we've had a really dry winter so far. I suppose there's still all of January and February left, but I'm a bit disappointed!

Good stuff... I love XC skiing, and have since childhood. The waxless skis will be a good help to you starting out; the waxing can be a pain in the ass with different types of waxes for different temperature ranges. Someday I'll modernize my gear... I still use old-school skis from the 70s, but they do just fine.

In terms of tips, I say just have at it and see how you do. Keep a slight forward lean and the movement as smooth as possible... you'll be surprised how little time it takes to feel natural (-ish...).

Oh, and try not to cross those skis... you look like a jackass when you fall over in slow motion for no apparent reason.

"Because in the end, you won't remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain."

I love Xcountry skiing as a cross training for my running. If you are a newbie I would suggest you sign up for a lesson to really learn the ropes. Xcountry skiing is a simple sport, but it is best to learn how to go downhill and how to navigate sharp corners and such. Good luck

"Champions are everywhere; all you need is to train them properly..." ~Arthur Lydiard

I learned to cross-country ski by walking around for a while in the skis. After a while you'll start gliding and going faster because that's what people do. One thing I remember learning (in addition to the vital Ghostbusters "don't cross the skis" wisdom): Instead of gripping the poles tightly, let the hand-ties around your wrists take the down-force.

Groomed trails would make the whole process easier. Uphills will probably be the most difficult thing--the V-pattern and rhythm that will get you up them can be tricky. Also, you'll probably fall often, and you'll likely use the hit-the-deck method of emergency braking, so you may want to prepare yourself for that by wearing cushy clothes.